Freudenberg-NOK Sealing Technologies has announced plans to expand its automotive sealing facility and hire new employees to meet increasing customer requirements for quality components.
Freudenberg-NOK’s Findlay, Ohio, plant produces approximately 700 high-performance plastic parts for customers including vehicle manufacturers and Tier One and Two suppliers using state-of-the art manufacturing processes. Company executives recently officially announced that the company will pursue a 43,000-foot factory expansion that could result in retaining 148 jobs and creating 25 new jobs at the plant. Final plans are contingent upon formal approval of all State of Ohio workforce and incentive programs. Freudenberg-NOK leaders have worked with JobsOhio, state and local officials on incentives to support the expansion.
The company said it expects to invest approximately $8.6 million in construction and equipment upgrades. The expansion and construction will be complete by winter 2015.
“Freudenberg-NOK’s Findlay facility is a benchmark for lean manufacturing and production of quality components so it is not surprising that escalating customer demand offers us tremendous new opportunities for business expansion in Ohio,” said Dr. Theodore Duclos, president, Freudenberg-NOK. “We are happy to invest in the success of this facility and the greater Findlay community with this construction. We anticipate that this expansion will help us better serve existing and new customers with quality sealing products.”
Freudenberg-NOK and its Findlay operations are considered a top employer in Hancock County, and the plant was a finalist in the IndustryWeek 2014 Best Plants competition last year. The competition annually recognizes the best manufacturing plants in North America. The Findlay plant maintains nearly perfect statistics in the areas of quality, delivery and customer retention.
Equally important, Findlay has become the company’s lead facility in the successful adoption of a new breakthrough manufacturing approach, Single Cavity Net Shape Molding. The single cavity approach uses compact, custom-engineered one cavity injection and compression molding machines rather than multi-cavity machines to produce crucial thermoplastic parts. The process improves part quality and reduces scrap and waste.
“This project is a tremendous testament to the skills of our people and the success of our processes in Findlay,” said Roy Schroeder, Lead Center manager, Fluid Power Automotive, Findlay. “This plant expansion will allow us to continue our pursuit of world-class manufacturing processes and products and expand our markets. We are all excited about the opportunities this addition will bring to our facility, and we are looking forward to its completion and the addition of new employees to our plant family.”